Division 1 Roundup - Week 15+ (Cup Groups R2)
Improved Showing in Challenge Cup?
In the Challenge Cup results involving Division 1 teams from the second round of the Group stage, this week has seen three winners from six matches, a slight improvement on the two from five in round 1 - and most D1 teams still have a reasonable shot of qualifying for the Knockout stage.
The only team with two wins from two, however, are eighth-placed Mursley Hawks, who cut it very fine, but came through in the final set against a 140 handicap versus D3's Newport Pagnell Vanquish. Hawks had chipped away at the handicap, but were behind target going into the last few sets, but Mick O'Mahony put in two tremendous sets, conceding a mere 20 points in four games, to see Hawks just squeeze through in the last set, winning the match by 7 points, having started the final set 24 points adrift. With two wins under their belt, they look virtually certain to qualify for the knockout matches.
Another team who left it late to overcome the handicap was Chackmore Hasbeens, who faced a deficit of 80 points against D2's Leighton Buzzard Van Hire. Like Hawks, they slowly chipped away at the handicap, and were marginally ahead of the target after eight sets, but a good set by Van Hire's Richard Hardy in set nine left Hasbeens still 16 points back, going into the final set. Bub Burman was the man for the job, and he saw them through to record a win by 7 points, to give them a good chance of qualifying for the knockout stage, with one win from two.
The third team to record a win this week were Leighton Buzzard Avengers, who faced a 120 point deficit against D3's Greenleys Moghuls, however their task was made virtually academic as Moghuls were only able to field two players. Nevertheless, Avengers put in a dominant performance to win by 163 points, meaning that even had Moghuls had a third player who could've won all their games to zero (massively unlikely!), they would still have won! Like Hasbeens, with one win and one loss, they stand a good chance to continue in the event, but might be a case of battling against fellow D1 team, Sharks, for that spot.
In the same Group as Avengers, Milton Keynes Sharks suffered a similar fate as Avengers did, in their match against D2's Little Horwood Wooden Tops. Sharks started with a deficit of 60 to overcome, and whilst they clawed back a few points, were always a bit behind target, with the opposition's James McCafferty and Paul Reynolds proving particularly difficult to beat, and Sharks ended up still 34 points behind by the end of the evening. Like Avengers, they have one win from two, so with the two teams due to play each other in the final Group match, it could in effect be a knockout game to see which of them will qualify?
Playing in the one three team Group in the event, Milton Keynes Phoenix had their first match in their Group, this week, and faced a big 180 handicap against D3's Leighton Buzzard Flashmans. Whilst Merv Phillips pulled back a few points for Phoenix, the others had difficulty gaining enoug advantage, and whilst they continued to whittle down the lead, were still left 41 points behind by the end of the evening. With Flashmans having now won two from two, it effectively leaves Phoenix with an effective knockout game in their remaining Group match against Premier team Open University Primes, on scratch, to qualify in second place in the Group.
The final D1 team involved in the Challenge Cup, Leighton Buzzards Spitfires, faced a 120 point handicap against D3's Milton Keynes Blades. For Blades, Malcolm Whetstone proved particularly effective, and with Spitfires unable to claw back enough points against their opponents, fell behind the target, and were still 63 points adrift after set 9. Based on the result as recorded (so far), set 10 may not have been played, with the result already determined, although could still prove costly for Spitfires, as a big win in their final match could yet see them qualify in second or third place, but as it would come down to points difference, an unplayed set could make the difference?
Next week it is back to League action, and the most ‘interesting’ match in terms of League positions, would appear to be second versus third, as Avengers visit Phoenix, with the two teams in a tight contest for the runners-up spot in the Division. Elsewhere, sixth-placed Sharks take on the leaders, MK Sasaki, fifth plays seventh as Pumas take on Spitfires, whilst eighth-placed Hawks visit fourth-placed Hasbeens.
Player of the Week : Mick O'Mahony.
Team of the Week : Chackmore Hasbeens.